SRC-MSY S.B. 984 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 984
78R8175 JD-DBy: Wentworth
State Affairs
3/24/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the Open Meetings Act requires a benefits appeals
committee for a public self-funded health plan to deliberate the medical
or psychiatric records of an individual applicant in a public meeting.  As
proposed, S.B. 984 makes an exemption to the open meetings requirement for
such deliberations in order to protect confidential medical information of
an applicant for coverage under a self-funded health plan. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 551D, Government Code, by adding Section
551.0785, as follows: 

Sec.  551.0785.  BENEFITS APPEALS COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SELF-FUNDED HEALTH
PLAN.  Provides that this chapter does not require a benefits appeals
committee for a public self-funded health plan to conduct an open meeting
to deliberate the medical or psychiatric records of an individual
applicant for a benefit from the plan. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.